Dog update

You guys are so silly. That post below is not my dog. Not that I have anything against big dogs. They're great. But I like my little toy fox terrier (she's not a rat!). And our new kitten. Ellie and Autumn are getting along fabulously, just like sisters would.

I posted "Dog Tired" from work, without access to my own pictures. I loved that photo. Perfect for my level of exhaustion. I'm almost through...one more shift tonight. Thanks for your prayers and support. Y'all are the best friends! Thanks especially to Becky and Michelle for your pep talks last night and today. You're just what I needed.

Dog Tired...

Couldn't resist this picture. Right now, in the middle of my three-day stretch, I actually feel okay. But I know by Tuesday morning, this is gonna be me.

Good thing I'm off for a week after tonight. And I have lots of fun fall events planned for this month. And don't forget, tomorrow is "National SITS Day", or whatever Heather and Tiffany have named it. Blogfest Bonanza with prizes galore. I don't care how tired I am, I am gonna be checking in as often as I can. Maybe I'll even win...

Hope y'all have a great Monday!

Blogger Party

Okay, since there were quite a few of you who were jealous of my rockin' good time at King's Island last night, I had an idea.

There is a Great Wolf Lodge right next to King's Island in Mason, Ohio. You can google it if you want. How about a blogger party/reunion/meet and greet (whatever you want to call it) next year, either late spring or early summer? We could stay at the Lodge and then go to KI for the day and ride coasters until our heads spin. Then go back and eat and drink and talk and swim and talk some more.

Think about it. Then leave a comment. If you're serious, I'll look into getting a "corporate" discount for a crazy group of bloggin' women. Who knows, it may work...

Imagine how much fun we would have.

Friday Night Fun...

Last night, a group of my co-workers, my sister and I went to King's Island for an evening of roller coasters, thrills, and frights. Their annual Halloween fest (with a different name every year...I always call it Fright Night) is every weekend in October, and it is a total blast! We arrived at 7pm and closed the place down after 1am. Even Aly, one of the biggest scaredy-cats I have ever met (I love ya, girl, but you know it's the truth) joined us in the fun.

Poor Roel and Damien had to hold down the fort at work. Sorry, guys, you missed a good time. But you probably would've been too scared and I would've had to hold your hands. Hmm...

I didn't bring my camera (too scared to lose it on the coasters), so I don't have any great photos of the night. But here is a picture of my favorite ride of the night, The Beast. I rode it twice, and the second time, my sister and I rode in the very front seat. In the dark. Pitch-black, I can't see a blessed thing dark. It. Was. Awesome. Pictures don't even do it justice.

We also rode the Haunted Train ride, which was scary enough to make me pee my pants (but I didn't, really, I didn't). Aly did not do this ride...she had had enough of the freaky characters to last her until next Halloween.

Thanks, Meg, for planning such a fun night. I had a blast, and can't wait to do it again next year!

Firehouse Party!

One of Gabe's "faberit" things to do is visit our local firehouse. When the older kids brought home a flyer about the Open House at the fire station, you know we had to go. Gabe was so excited he could barely eat his chicken nuggets, and even Elijah and Isabel decided to tag along. It was a beautiful evening, clear skies and seventy degrees...it made for such a fun time.

After parking our car down the street, we walked down an alleyway and came around the corner to see at least seven firetrucks and ambulances scattered about, doors open as if to say "come and explore". Gabe was ready to break into a run, and just then I caught the eye of...

My best friend, Becky. Clearly, great minds think alike. Just as I started walking toward her, she was on the phone with my husband, calling to tell me to come down to the firehouse. Sometimes we are so similar it scares me (in a good way, I promise).

Gabe would NOT look at the camera (there was just way too much going on around him). But Summer was all about it. Man, I love this girl.



Gabe climbed in every single vehicle, touched every single button, and talked voraciously to every single firefighter. It was hysterical to watch, when I was able to keep up with him! Here he is in the ambulance, making yet another new friend.



I had higher hopes for the way this photo turned out, but honestly, I was lucky to get any shots of Gabe at all. He was mesmerized by the escapee balloon and the ladder and flag, so he held still long enough for me to click the shutter.

Man, Becky did a great job with this picture. If you look closely, you can see Gabe hiding behind me. Summer was willing to pose with Miss Heather. I'm loving the reflection in the door. Can you imagine how often they have to clean these doors to get them looking so good? Can you imagine all the fingerprints on said doors after an event like this? Sure, those firemen were all smiles to our faces; inside, they were probably cursing our little heathen children and their greasy little hands...

As we were walking to our car, I realized I hadn't snapped one picture of the three of my babies. Elijah is not much for the camera (wonder where Gabe gets it, huh?), and Isabel was just too busy checking everything out. And I spent half the evening talking to Becky, and the other half searching for Gabe, who disappeared from sight every time I began a conversation with my friend (yep, he's a stinker).

What a great way to spend an evening. Free entertainment, popcorn and balloons; beautiful fall weather; and wonderful friends. It just doesn't get much better than that.

Time

Have I blinked?

Did I look away for more than a second?

How on earth did this daughter of mine go from a fuzzy black-haired red-faced baby to this twirling blond-haired freckle-faced beauty?

I swear just yesterday she was biting her big brother on the arm ("I promise I won't eat Elijah anymore, Mommy, I promise"), insisting on wearing a pink boa and polka-dot rain boots with nothing but a pull-up, and playing Barbies 24-7.

Now she has a better social life than I do. Constant invitations for playdates and sleepovers and birthday parties. More friends than I can count. She is a genuinely kind person, and people flock to her side, drawn to her sweet personality.

Isabel is such a gift to our family. I hope she always knows just how beautiful she truly is, inside and out. I am in no rush, but it will be wonderful to see what God has planned for her life.

"Youth is, after all, just a moment...but it is the moment, the spark that you always carry in your heart."

(Raisa Gorbachev)

BTW, the song playing (Burn for You by Tobymac) was Isabel's first choice to go with this post. I love that she prefers Christian music to any other kind...we have so danced and sang and bonded over these tunes.

Tag, I'm it...11 Favorite Things

I love playing tag. Makes me feel like I'm eight years old again. Thanks, Katy!

Here is my list of eleven favorite things. (I'll warn you, some categories have more than one favorite. I know, I know, I'm only supposed to pick one. There are just some things that are impossible for me to narrow down to only one favorite. )

1. Clothes shop: Kohl's, Old Navy (for their jeans...love 'em)

2. Furniture shop: I like Ikea, especially for organizational ideas, but I love Furniture Fair for my big stuff (couch, endtables, bedrooms)

3. Sweets: Pumpkin crisp, without a doubt (my lips thank you, Lula; my hips, not so much)

4. City: I gotta say, I love my hometown of Cincinnati

5. Drink: Mike's Hard Pomegranate Lemonade (which I'll be enjoying as soon as I'm done here); sweet tea if I have to choose a non-alcoholic drink; Coca-cola if I'm eating pizza

6. Music: Jars of Clay (I like so many different kinds of music, but I always come back to this group when I'm picking something to listen to)

7. TV series: Lost, Gray's Anatomy, CSI (the original, until Grissom leaves, then I'm not sure)

8. Film: Tombstone (Becky, you so need to watch this one. With surround sound.)

9. Workout: Funny you should ask. On Mondays and Fridays, Becky and I meet at the YMCA and do the elliptical machines and I work on my arms and abs. On Wednesdays, we meet at the Y-express and do a Muscle Max class of torture, I mean exercise. With barbells. And yoga balls. And stretchy bands. And aerobics steps. Told ya, torture.

10. Pastries: See #3 above. Running in second place is Panera's Asiago Cheese bagel with veggie spread. Yum.

11. Coffee: Usually I brew my own at home with hazelnut creamer. But for a treat, I love a Starbucks latte with a shot of hazelnut and whipped cream. Venti, if you please.

There you have it. Another piece of me, out there for all of blogger land to see. So now, who to tag? Anybody who needs some blog fodder for another post, but especially you, Becky. You're it!